“Let your food be your medicine, and medicine be your food.” - Hippocrates.  Food is the first medicine and the best medicine; it  is a cornerstone of our naturopathic practice. Many medical conditions can be treated more effectively with foods and nutritional supplements than they can by other means, with fewer complications and side effects. Examination of the diet for sensitivities, allergies, and/or deficiencies is the basis for restoring health. Clinical nutrition is the combined effort of a Functional medicine intake with the use of dietary therapy as well as the careful recommendation of researched vitamins, minerals and other nutriceuticals.

Clinical nutrition is the practice of using what we eat to enhance our health, reverse disease and heal pathology. Adopting a healthy diet is often the first step towards correcting health problems. Many medical conditions can be treated more effectively with foods than they can by other means, and with fewer complications and side effects. Dr. Cruz uses specific individualized diets to help restore optimal functioning, on a cellular level, to the patients’ health.  

Some of the Diets we currently use: 

• Elimination Diet to help kickstart pain and inflammation reduction (chronic migraines, joint pain/stiffness, “leaky gut” symptoms), food sensitivity/allergy identification and elimination, weightloss and wellness.

• Cardiometabolic Food Plan designed specifically for those at risk and/or diagnosed with  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) such as blood pressure/cholesterol/elevated blood fats,  metabolic syndrome (elevated blood sugar, increased waist size) and type 2 diabetes.

• Core Food Plan for those patients interested in the core principles in healthy eating, understanding the connections between food and health, preventing disease and awareness of one’s relationship with food.

• Detox food Plan to help withdraw from the use of drugs or alcohol and to help decrease the toxic overload on the liver, kidneys, intestine and lymphatic system from conditions such as Mononucleosis (Epstein Barr Virus), environmental toxicity, neurotoxic syndrome due to cancer medications along with other neurological and cognitive conditions such as Parkinson’s and dementia,

• Low FODMAP Food Plan to address a specific gut dysbiosis condition such as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) or Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS) and in some cases Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD)

• Mito Food Plan is an anti-inflammatory, low-carbohydrate, high-quality-fats approach to eating, designed to support energy production, overall vitality and healthy eating.  This plan focuses on supporting healthy mitochondria, which are structures in every cell that make energy. When mitochondria are working well, people are less likely to have symptoms of fatigue, pain, "brain fog" and others commonly associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial dysfunction is also associated with diabetes and various neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; often called Lou Gehrig’s disease). Research indicates that nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and other lifestyle strategies can support mitochondrial health. 

 

Each of the above plans include a comprehensive guide, a weekly planner with recipes, a lifestyle journal and one-on-one weekly consultation with Dr. Cruz to keep you on track, apply modifications and help you in the emotional aspect of changing lifestyle or food habits.